The limestone grasslands of Pairées Ouest

Classified as a Site of Great Biological Interest, this exceptional landscape features limestone grasslands, scrubland, and a magnificent juniper grove. Without human intervention, the forest would naturally reclaim the land; today, a flock of sheep grazes here to preserve the vegetation, continuing age-old agropastoral traditions. The rocky, heat-exposed soil—extremely dry in summer—supports rare plants (including numerous orchids and the common juniper) as well as threatened insects. Unlike the Bois de Niau, centuries of clearing, farming, and winter grass-burning by shepherds permanently prevented the forest from growing back.